Here's Looking at You, Doctor
by Starry-EyedandStormy
Summary: River shows up unexpectedly one day with a plan in mind for some fun... namely one hell of a party in the 1930s.


"Okay Sweetie, I know you like your crazy outfits and ridiculous hats... and tonight- _just this __**once**_, Doctor-I will let you wear a hat if you wear this."

River shoved an outfit into the Doctor's arms.

"But..." she added, "I still get to pick the hat."

And with that she brushed past him out of the wardrobe room.

The Doctor stood there with his mind racing for a moment, rapidly switching between many emotions.

_Who does she think she is to just call me, then come bursting into the TARDIS while telling me what I can and can't wear and where we're going...Well, I mean, she's my wife, and that's who she thinks she is... But I was in the middle of important things! I was about to... what was I about to do? ... Well it doesn't matter, it was important! And this outfit isn't cool! River never understands what is cool... well, actually sometimes she does, but... She never did say where we're going or what we're about to do, did she? _

His thoughts continued along this vein as he continued to dress himself. When he finished he looked in the full length mirror in the wardrobe. She had given him a smart suit that was the same color as his tweed jacket with dark brown pinstripes, a vest of the same dark brown , a dark blue bowtie, and black shoes. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but it _did _look pretty cool.

He smirked at himself in the mirror and went to straighten his bowtie when he noticed a pair of hands reaching around from his back and a pair of blue-green eyes looking over his shoulder. He could hear the satisfaction and smirk in River's voice as she spoke.

"I told you it would look fine, my Love."

He turned to look at her and gasped and considered slapping a hand over his eyes when he saw that she was only partially dressed in a black corset and slip with a garter belt holding up a pair of black fishnet stockings. Of course, he didn't slap his hand over his eyes because that would have ruined his considerably advantageous view.

"River! Where are the rest of your clothes?!"

"I hadn't picked out a dress yet. Unless of course, you'd rather me go out in just this?" she quipped with a suggestively raised eyebrow while sauntering over to him.

He gulped. "If we are going _out_, maybe you should put a dress on too..."

River mock pouted. "Fine."

The Doctor debated between staring at the back of her retreating figure and leaving the wardrobe, spinning around a few times in the process of deciding before choosing to go fiddle with something in the console room while he waited for her.

After about fifteen minutes River appeared in the console room. The Doctor looked up to ask what they were going to do but stopped as his jaw involuntarily dropped at the sight of his wife.

River smirked. She was wearing a burgundy gown with pleated, sheer short sleeves, a beaded corset-style top with a sweetheart cut that was plunging far enough to show off enough cleavage, but not too much. The skirt was velvet with a slightly longer back than front. Her hair was pulled into a style similar to that which she'd worn on the Byzantium, and she wore diamond earrings and a necklace. She smiled at the Doctor's stunned gaze and walked over to him. She leaned towards his face and drew her right index finger along his jaw as she placed a fedora to match his suit on his head.

"There. This one time, you can wear a hat," she said as she grabbed his hand and led him out the door.

"River, where are we?! Where are we going?!" the Doctor frantically questioned as she led him up a street lined with palm trees.

"To a party!" she replied simply while leading him on.

Not just any party, it turned out. It was a party at the home of William Randolph Hearst at his home of Hearst Castle. Guests included movie stars such as Clark Gable and Carey Grant, along with journalists, musicians, writers... really anyone who was interesting in any way. River and the Doctor mingled with the 1930s famous in the gorgeous rooms of the enormous house and danced for hours in the grand hall. It was a wild flurry and frenzy of colour and glamour, high spirits and booze. The only comparison that can be made is to say that the parties of Hearst Castle were like real-life Gatsby parties.

The Doctor noticed the likes of Clark Gable flirting a bit with River, but restrained himself from reacting negatively because River always came right back over to him and made no secret of the fact that she was the Doctor's and he was hers. They were still dancing even when most others had gone to bed. After noticing that they were nearly alone, they sought out their host and thanked him for the wonderful time. He offered them a room for the night in one of the many beautiful guest houses surrounding the main house, but they politely declined. Well, the Doctor declined. River was a bit tipsy from too much champagne, and not doing much but clinging to the Doctor's shoulder for support and smiling like a fox up at him. He felt it was best to just take her back to the TARDIS when she was in such a state. So he thanked Hearst again and basically carried River back to the TARDIS.

As they walked through the doors towards their room, the Doctor remarked to River, "Well, I had a wonderful time! Such a lively party, although I don't know why they were so opposed to giving me fishfingers and custard for hors d'oeuvres. And that Hearst's wife wouldn't stop flirting with the other men..."

"Sweetie, that wasn't his wife. Everyone knows Hearst had an affair for a good deal of his life with that woman. Her name is Marion Davies; an actress."

"Oh..." the Doctor's cheeks flamed for a moment. " And of course that Clark Gable kept flirting with you... "

River laughed. By this point, they had reached the bedroom and the Doctor gently set her down on their bed. "Oh, I know you saw. But I like it when you get a bit possessive, and I made it clear that we were together anyway. You know you have nothing to worry about."

The Doctor huffed as he made to move away from the bed, but River grabbed the lapel of his jacket and smiled that knowing, almost predatory smile again. "Are you _really_ that worried about me flirting and being flirted with?"

"Well, I mean, it does bother me a little..." the Doctor flustered, "But I know you don't mean any harm..."

River pulled him closer. "Are you sure...?"

The Doctor gulped, now mere centimeters from River's face; wanting to simply kiss her, but also wanting to hear if she had anything else to say.

"You know, I think I'll just show you that you have nothing to worry about," she purred as she pulled him in to kiss her.

After a few seconds they drew apart, and the Doctor noticed that River had undone his bowtie during the kiss. He hadn't even noticed. She had that smile again, and she remarked after looking over his face and then looking at his fedora, "You know, I think I actually do like that hat on you..."

The Doctor didn't need any more invitation than that as he pulled River close again (practically tackling her) and gave her a kiss to rival that between Scarlett and Rhett in _Gone with the Wind. _

...But don't tell Clark Gable that.


End file.
